WhatsApp Gold hoax message: Here’s what users need to do

If you’ve received the ‘WhatsApp Gold’ hoax message, here’s what you should do. The same can be applied for any suspicious messages on WhatsApp,

WhatsApp’s popularity makes it vulnerable to spam and malware. Here’s what users can do to avoid getting hacked on WhatsApp, (Bloomberg)

WhatsApp users are being warned of a malware under the name "WhatsApp Gold" posing to be an update for the messaging app. Note that this 'WhatsApp Gold' is a hoax, and so is the warning message.

This warning message circulating on WhatsApp is creating unnecessary panic among users. The message claims that users would soon receive a video with an update for WhatsApp.

This update comes with features like sending 100 photos to users at once, and also deleting sent messages any time.

 

Got this and am circulating just in case it's true.

FYI: Whatsapp Gold. A video will be launched tomorrow in Whatsapp called Martinelli. DO NOT OPEN it. Its a virus which goes into your phone and nothing will fix it. Do not update to Whatsapp Gold the virus is serious.

— Anna Moore (@5AMoores) January 3, 2019

If you've received the WhatsApp Gold message or anything similar, here's what you need to do.

Legit update source
WhatsApp updates are available only through App Store for iPhones and Play Store for Android phones. Any update available outside these platforms can contain malware and potentially harm your device. Also, any message claiming to be an update for WhatsApp is fake and should be avoided.

Forwarded messages
Forwarded messages have been the gateway to the spread of fake news, malware on WhatsApp. There have been some features introduced like limiting forwarded messages to only five chats, and labelling them with the 'forwarded' tag. If you receive any suspicious message, you can check to see if it has the forwarded label. This would mean that the message is most likely spam.

Report spam messages
WhatsApp allows users to report any abusive or spam message on the platform. Users can find this feature by going to Settings > About and Help > Contact Us. Here, users can explain the situation along with screenshots for proof.

Block users
Many spam messages often come from unknown numbers. If you recognise any message from an unknown number on WhatsApp, you can go ahead and block them. To do this, open the chat and tap on the three dotted menu. Select the 'more' option and simply click on 'block'.